Definitions

kěn (verb) to reclaim (land); to cultivate

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "垦", meaning to cultivate or reclaim land, derives from its traditional form "墾" which combines the component "豸" representing an animal with "土" for earth, an structure that points to the use of beast-drawn tools in preparing soil for farming. Its simplified form "垦" places the component "艮" above "土", where "土" continues to carry the semantic notion of land while "艮" primarily functions as a phonetic element. The character's application has consistently pertained to the act of bringing uncultivated land into agricultural use, with its structural simplification streamlining the graphic form without altering this core meaning.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

农民开荒地。

Nóngmín kāikěn huāngdì.

Farmers reclaim wasteland.

这片土地被开了。

Zhè piàn tǔdì bèi kāikěn le.

This land has been cultivated.

政府鼓励开农田。

Zhèngfǔ gǔlì kāikěn nóngtián.

The government encourages the cultivation of farmland.

荒需要付出很多努力。

Kěnhuāng xūyào fùchū hěnduǒ nǔlì.

Reclaiming wasteland requires a lot of effort.

他们计划开这片山区。

Tāmen jìhuà kāikěn zhè piàn shānqū.

They plan to cultivate this mountainous area.

经过多年的开,这里变成了良田。

Jīngguò duōnián de kāikěn, zhèlǐ biàn chéngle liángtián.

After years of cultivation, this place has become fertile farmland.

殖活动对环境有影响。

Kěnzhí huódòng duì huánjìng yǒu yǐngxiǎng.

Reclamation activities have an impact on the environment.

在干旱地区开土地需要先进的技术。

Zài gānhàn dìqū kāikěn tǔdì xūyào xiānjìn de jìshù.

Cultivating land in arid regions requires advanced technology.